25 Lockdown Homeschooling Tips (Tips 13-25)
It’s kind of daunting, right?! Being directly responsible for your child’s education. Especially if you feel like you have no idea what you’re doing with this homeschooling thing!
Mommy, hang in there! The fact that you’re here, finding out how you can make this experience better for you and your kiddos, says volumes!
In my last post, prioritising your relationship with your kids and establishing a routine, were the focus. In this half of these 25 tips for surviving lockdown homeschooling, I am going to show you some tricks and tips for the learning part of homeschooling.
(And just a quick disclaimer: While I have never ‘homeschooled’ before now and many of you have been Mommies much longer than I have, these tips come from years of working with kids in different settings and some of them have become SO much more real now that I have littles of my own! Also, I know the term “Homeschooling” is a problem and I’d rather use the term “parent-facilitated learning”. But I want Moms who need this info to find it…and most people are searching for the term “homeschooling”.)
Learning through homeschooling
This is why we’re doing homeschooling right – so our kiddos can carry on learning!
13) Regulate emotions before education
And a child cannot learn anything if they are distracted or consumed by overwhelming emotions.
Their world has been flipped upside down.
Whether your child has expressed it to you or not, there are a load of conflicting emotions in that little heart and mind. As there are in ours as parents. Help them express those emotions and regulate them before even thinking about homeschooling!
I found this article really helpful in showing you practically, how to regulate emotions and behaviour!
14) Take attention span into account
Your child’s attention span is unique to them. It might take a while to figure it out but when you do, use that knowledge to your advantage.
Some kids can sit for a whole hour and work conscientiously; others, you’re lucky if they’ll sit still for 15 minutes at a time! And that’s ok!
So, if your child has a short attention span (actually even if they don’t, this works too!), just break up the homeschooling time into 15 minute slots with a small break in between. You’ll find your child will get A LOT more done that way!
15) Using technology
Generally, our kiddos are more tech-savvy than we are – it’s a generational thing. But some of them are still finding working solely online REALLY overwhelming.
Help them where you can and where you can’t, ask for help!
And give yourself some grace, Mama. This is new for all of us!
16) Make learning fun when you can
You know those “Pinterest Moms”, the ones who come up with loads of super creative, fun activities for every lesson and make homeschooling look so easy? (Maybe you’re one of them! #sorrynotsorry)
Well, Mommy, you don’t have to be one! (I mean, unless you want to!)
But the truth is, kids learn way more when they’re having fun! So, even if it’s once a week, find one fun learning activity. Here’s a Rounding Off Boardgame I created for my students, to help them revise rounding off and have some fun while they do it!
(Want to get one for your kids? Follow this link! – It comes with a worksheet (memo included) that I would definitely recommend!)
17) Include movement in learning
Just like having fun, moving while learning improves your child’s ability to concentrate, memorise information and they enjoy it SO much more!
Here are some ideas: Let them chew gum or play with a piece of prestick or roll a ball under their foot while they work at their desk. Let them jump on a trampoline while they learn spelling or bounce a ball while they practice their bonds or timestables. Cut up their list of sums and stick them around the house and let them go on a treasure hunt to find them and solve them!
18) Divide work up into chunks
If the amount of work sent home each day or week feels overwhelming for you, can you even imagine how your kiddo is feeling?! But, it has to get done. So, how do climb Mount Everest?
One step at a time.
And here’s how you can do that: Break that work into smaller tasks or chunks. Write a list of all the tasks and post it up on the wall where your child is working and cross off those items one by one!
19) Take breaks
As I mentioned earlier, whether your child is super-attentive or not at all, taking short breaks will improve their productivity!
Depending on their attention span, you can work for 15-30 minutes and then take a short break.
By “short break” I mean up to 5 minutes long to stretch, go to the loo, do some jumping jacks, take a walk in the garden, drink a glass of water, eat a fruit or other snack.
This is not a 30-60 minute play-on-your-Playstation kinda break!
FREEBIE ALERT!!
Do you need fun homeschooling-break work out? Check this out! 👇
20) Use the resources available but don’t get overwhelmed
Since lockdown was announced, and the prospect of homeschooling was introduced, every educational site has been offering resources. (Yes, mine too!) But what do you choose, should you get it all!?
School-assigned work must take precedence. Your child will probably be busy enough with just that. But if you need extra clarification or more practice – use what resources you can.
Just don’t let it stress you out! You don’t have to use everything that’s out there!
Create a healthy environment for homeschooling
Homeschooling happens in the unique context of your home. Here’s how you can make it a happy, healthy place to learn!
21) Reduce stress at home
Take a breath. Exhale.
Yes, you’re all experiencing different levels of stress, and that’s ok! But do whatever it takes to keep things calm, secure and safe at home to reduce any further stress.
If it means turning off the news or not checking your social media, do it! If it means skipping homeschooling today because everyone’s fuses are WAY too short, do it! Bake those cookies or build a blanket-fort or watch movies all day, do it!
(But just, maybe not every day, ok!)
22) Healthy eating
And about those cookies… How you nourish your body has a huge effect on your mood, concentration and motivation.
Plan healthy snacks and meals for your family. Drink enough water. Don’t even buy all those sugar-filled goodies! And don’t snack all day, have snack times planned in your schedule. (I sound super healthy, hey! Well…let’s just say this is the ideal…and it’s a work in progress in our home!)
FREEBIE ALERT!!
Here’s a stunning meal planner I designed to make planning your weekly meals fun and inspiring – plus it looks GREAT on the fridge! Check it out! 👇
23) Exercise
This, however, is something we’re getting quite good at! Staying active can be a fun family activity and you don’t even have to get fancy! Read here about what our exercise time looks like! #toddlerfun
There are loads of different indoor exercise styles that you can do at home. Find something you enjoy and do it! Get that blood pumping, get those muscles moving. And just like healthy eating, it does wonders for mood and learning!
24) Work space
The space where your child works is important. Get it organised. Make sure they have everything they need in one place. Make sure it’s in an area of the house where there are limited distractions.
And does it inspire and encourage them? Let them put up some quotes or pictures that make them happy, and get them motivated to succeed!
25) Work time for everyone
This will work well if you have older kids who can work a bit more independently, and if you and hubby both have work to complete.
If everyone’s working, it’s a lot easier to work too. It’s really hard if you’re the only one doing homeschooling while Dad is watching a movie and Mom’s doing something fun with a younger sibling.
Bonus Tip
26) Factor in some me-time – for everyone!
Everyone needs some alone time, some “me-time”. So let everyone take some time each day to themselves – time where they can do something alone, something they enjoy and find relaxing.
Your child needs it. You need it.
I would love to connect with you and hear all about your homeschooling experience! What worked, what didn’t. And I’d love to include you in this community of Mommies as we support each other and grow together to become the best moms we can be!
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